Friday, July 22, 2011

He Touched Me - FTD Light Version

I was glad to notice the other day that He Touched Me will be among the three new releases on the FTD label in September (together with a soundboard titled 48 Hours To Memphis, recorded on March 18, 1974 in Richmond, Virginia and Elvis Sings Guitar Man on vinyl). He Touched Me is one of four titles I've tipped would get the classic album treatment this year, and I'm looking forward to it.

So much, in fact, that I've created my own "FTD light version" of the album with the help of iTunes, just like I did with Elvis Sings The Wonderful World Of Christmas about half a year ago. By using what has already been released officially from the sessions that resulted in Elvis' third and last gospel album, I came up with this:

THE ORIGINAL ALBUM / SIDE 207. An Evening Prayer08. Lead Me, Guide Me09. There Is No God But God10. A Thing Called Love11. I, John12. Reach Out To Jesus

INFORMAL RECORDING13. The Lord's Prayer

THE OUTTAKES14. Amazing Grace - take 215. He Touched Me - take 216. I've Got Confidence - take 117. Bosom Of Abraham - take 318. An Evening Prayer - take 219. Seeing Is Believing - take 420. A Thing Called Love - rehearsal21. He Is My Everything - take 122. There Is No God But God - takes 1 (false start) & 223. Bosom Of Abraham - take 424. An Evening Prayer - take 525. Seeing Is Believing - take 726. A Thing Called Love - take 127. Bosom Of Abraham - take 7

As you can see I included the informal recording "A Lord's Prayer," a title that could as easily be featured on a future Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas FTD release as it was recorded between takes of "I'll Be Home On Christmas Day". As an afterthought I also added the gospel jam that was captured on tape (and film) on March 31, 1972, as part of the Elvis On Tour documentary.

The "FTD light version" of He Touched Me has a running time of about 80 minutes. It was compiled using all of the alternate takes that have been officially released so far. They can be found on Walk A Mile In My Shoes – The Essential 70's Master, Platinum: A Life In Music, Today, Tomorrow And Forever, Easter Special, I Sing All Kinds and A Hundred Years From Now – Essential Elvis Volume 4.

2 comments:

Mike Hermenet
said...

Thanks for posting the list Thomas! I was actually starting to assemble my own list of songs and outtakes from the HE TOUCHED ME album to whet my appetite for the long-awaited FTD "Classic Albums" release!!

And just like you, I'm really looking forward to Promised Land getting the classic album treatment. When FTD released Good Times back in 2009 I thought the next one was going to be Promised Land for sure as Ernst Jorgensen and his crew had already retrieved the session tapes from December, 1973. How wrong I was. Here's for hoping it will be released at the end of this year.